The future of the web is video. With websites like Ifilm, YouTube and Google Video providing the online community with the latest in short films, trailers, music videos and a variety of weird, crazy and funny moments recorded on tape, the prevalence and demand for video content is increasing. growing by leaps and bounds. limits. However, Internet businesses also have a lot to gain from providing video content on their websites. This is a wide open market for web savvy videographers.
Producing videos for a website is different than creating a traditional video due to bandwidth and size limitations on the web. Also, a 5-minute video clip is at the peak of the average web user’s attention span, making most pre-existing corporate or training videos too long and inappropriate for streaming. Online video content should be fresh, interesting, fast and short, preferably under 3 minutes.
Studies have shown that providing video content on your website increases traffic and helps sell products and attract customers. Big news websites like CNN.com, MSNBC.com, and Forbes.com feature news videos. Amazon.com features short films to generate interest. In October 2005, BuyCostumes.com, an online Halloween costume retailer, launched a month-long “virtual TV network” showing fashion shows featuring runway-style costumes and Halloween tips.
As you browse business websites that present video content in new and exciting ways, think about how businesses in your area could benefit from video. A ski resort may like to show videos showing their slopes and skiers in action. A local brewery may want to generate interest in new beers by providing an online video tour of how the beer was produced. A local newspaper might want to feature real-time news on its website.
The sky is the limit for how any business can use streaming video to educate customers, generate interest in new products, or enhance their online presence. The key is to present the need and show how other similar businesses are using Internet video to their advantage. Many businesses may already be thinking about embedding video on their website as the popularity of video on the Internet continues to grow.